From Willie Peyote to Kekko: the Tony Effe case and the Sanremo race

The race towards the Sanremo Festival has begun for some time now and is at high speed. This can also be seen from the various interviews that are appearing in the newspapers with some of the big names who will be on the Ariston stage in which, in addition to small previews of the song that will be presented in the competition, there is “the Tony Effe case” on which an opinion or consideration is requested. A useful way, at this moment, to attract attention. Second turning point for Willie Peyote who, after being at the Sanremo Festival in 2021 with “Mai dire mai (La locura)”, returns to the Riviera to present “Thanks but no thanks”. Interviewed on Corriere della Serathe rapper and singer-songwriter explained, in broad terms, the meaning of the song, played on the participation of Jalisse, which has become a catchphrase for years now, and on the “Tony Effe case” he did not go into specifics, but gave a more broad, and therefore more interesting than that of many interventions in recent days. “(The song presented, ed.) analyzes the present, Sanremo is the right place to address the topic of who we are today, given that everyone watches it. From ‘The Land of Persimmons’ onwards, you can do social analysis and mockery. I have learned the lesson of Elio e le Storie Tese and I try to carry it forward.”

On the “Tony Effe case”, he first said that he didn’t want to end up in the cauldron of those who gave an opinion on the topic, then he underlined, when asked whether or not rap has a problem with sexist lyrics: “It has it from birth, but we often exaggerate both in taking what is said too seriously and in talking about censorship. Rap has a problem of machismo and chauvinism that leads to late adolescent behavior even in men who are not old enough for it, it will take time. But we are working on it.” Then he concluded: “It’s not true that rappers are so deaf to controversy. Picking on them is an easy game that used to be played with rock stars, but music is a story and rappers are not the cause. Instead, we should ask ourselves why there is a problem of chauvinism and patriarchy in our society.”

Kekko Fashions, interviewed instead on Repubblicawill return to the Sanremo Festival with “Non ti dimentico”. “Singing about the relationship between two people, straight or homosexual, is necessary. Today in the songs I hear vulgarity, malice, women are treated like an object. You have to make her feel important, because she is. My daughter Gioia, 13 years old, comes and talks to me about strange things: ‘Dad, what does ‘If I look in the mirror I get hard/She jumps on your dick like a kangaroo’ mean? (verses from the song by Niky Savage, ed.). It’s not about being puritanical, but respectful,” the singer told the newspaper. So, he was asked on Repubblica, wouldn’t he have invited Tony Effe to Sanremo? “I wouldn’t have invited anyone who talks thoughtlessly about women. I was in the car with Gioia and a friend, a fan of Tony Effe. I asked: what do you like? Talk about women like they’re dog poop on the sidewalk, would you want to be thought of like that? It’s not about blaming Tony Effe, but about the responsibility of being a songwriter. It has nothing to do with swearing, Ghali even says some, but he has the ability to communicate wonderful things. Vasco Rossi makes your heart tremble. Instead, too much stuff around leads young people to think that women can be mistreated.”